Any opinions on the Roland MC909 Sampling Groovebox?

  • Thread starter Thread starter sir_trance-a-lot
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I would compare the MC 909 to a Phantom without a keyboard.
It has some limitations on the hadware design.
The track buttons under the 8 sliders are sometimes hard to reach. I always
The sliders are the same on the MC 505, and they have a short life.
The processes are too slow in my opinion, and sometimes you have to presas too much buttons just to save certain information.


but indeed is a great machine for live performances. The screen is great, showing you two different types of information at the same time, the sounds are improved, you have dedicated sliders for pitch, amp and filter. Sampling edition is easy and fast.

It has been my MIDI center to controll other synths for about a year and half.

but time to moving to the XL 7, next stage.
 
hey Balma--

>> [the MC909] has been my MIDI center to controll other synths for about a year and half.

>> but time to moving to the XL 7, next stage.

Are you still using the MC909? Do you use a lot of samples? (Great videos by the way-- I especially like "Mauricio Balma.avi" --rippin' groove!)

This is a tough decision-- I know I want everything in one package (sampling and synth). The only boxes that'll do it are the RS7000 and the MC909. Maybe the high-end Akai's would do it, but I don't want to spend that much.

The MC909 seems like the lesser of the 2 evils-- I hear what you're saying about having to wait for it to save stuff. But I guess I could put up with that, as long as it doesn't interfere with live performance. The RS7000 looks great, but it's so close in price to the MC909, may as well just go for the whole hog..

I love the little Korg ESX, but it's just too limited. Now the XL7-- that thing is so damn sweet-- killer sounds, great interface, great pads.. for $499, I'm almost tempted to just go buy one before I have time to think about it.

HS
 
I'll still using the MC 909, despite the Xl 7 is a lot better than the MC 909. If you have to play for several hours, you'll need different sources of sounds in order to obtain a heterogeneous sound and give a decent live act, besides, to leave in the past a piece of gear where you invested a lot of time learning and programing patches and patterns makes no sense to me, he will be the second on command.

I would go for the Yamaha RS 7000 instead the MC 909.

There was one RS7000 on Ebay on $800 a few days ago, new.

I bought the EMU XL 7 new on $345 a bargain.

the MC 505 is around $1000. If you wait for a good change, maybe you could get the RS 7000 and the XL 7 both for a price similar to the MC 909...
 
Get the rs7000 its the best deal and its up to par with the 909 at a much cheaper price.I remember someone posted a rs7k vs 909 type thread and a lot of people were saying that sequencing isnt as good on the 909.
 
balma >> I bought the EMU XL 7 new on $345 a bargain.

damn, that's a great deal. I'll keep an eye on ebay for a deal like that. for that price it would be good even if only for a source for loops.

It's interesting that so many of you prefer the RS7000 over the MC-909. I'll try to check one out. they have a used one at Guitar Center but it's not on display-- I'll have to ask them to drag it out of the display case and let me check it out in a corner somewhere. They probably won't mind-- it's been pretty slow in there lately. 5 years ago, if you went to Guitar Center on a weekend, it was be mobbed. You had to fight to get a saleperson's attention. Now the place is dead-- salesguys are just milling around chatting to each other. It's a perfect place to test the stuff you're about to buy on Ebay :)

>> If you have to play for several hours, you'll need different sources of sounds in order to obtain a heterogeneous sound and give a decent live act..

But theoretically you could do it with one really well-programmed uber-box like the RS7000 or the MC909-- yes? I admit I'm new to this-- I have a ton of live performance experience as a guitarist. But I have no experience performing with a groovebox. Well, I tried it once and it was a disaster-- I was way too nervous and made lots of mistakes. And I was freaked about the way it sounded coming through the PA-- it's all so neat and clean in my studio-- sounds totally different pumped through a club system.

anyway, it's saturday, time to visit my pals at GC--

HS
 
sir_trance-a-lot said:
balma >> I bought the EMU XL 7 new on $345 a bargain.

damn, that's a great deal. I'll keep an eye on ebay for a deal like that. for that price it would be good even if only for a source for loops.


HS
Click to expand...

Man, that's a GREAT deal. And really hurry for the ROM expansions.
I got it in a similar price but without the sound card. the I got the Beat Garden ROM for $100, Problem is that now I starting from 0, because I don't have the 100 patterns that come from factory.

But that's not a problem, maybe then I have to strain more myself and stop being lazy.... now what I'm doing is transmitting thru MIDI the preset patterns of all my groovebox series to the EMU's sequencer.

That's an amazing experiment. With the groovebox I have (307,505,909,D2) I have thousands of patterns, and when you record'em on the XL 7, they'll sound totally different, nobody will recognize'em, also I have around 600 user patterns that I made, and then, I'm totally filling the user memory of the XL7.

I don't know how to use that goddamned thing well, I think I'll reach the learning curve's peak in 18 months or 2 two years.


XL 7 is an amazing synth, and one of the best deals on the dance market,
maybe the best (I'm not saying is the best synth, but the best deal). And it seems very robust, great design. . Hard as stone. But I have notice that it needs proper ventilation.

I have been searching the World Expedition rom without success. If a lot of people is going for the command stations (the demand for them is increasing) they will go more expensive.
 
watsup yall
I wanted to know if an MC 909 / XL7 would completely replace the standard keyboard/software/samples/MIDI combo, you know what I mean? Right now I use a keyboard, Logic, and a bunch of complicated stuff I don't feel like buying. Also, if you make a beat on one of these machines, can you burn it onto a CD? Thanks for the reply in advance.

Peace
 
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The XL-7 (and it's homologues - MP-7 & PX7) does everything except sample.

But you can always get an external sampler and hook it up, because the XL-7 is a superb MIDI controller with sequencer. Get additional ROMs to expand your sound pallette.

I haven't used the 909, but I've been told that the RS7000 is a better sampling sequencer - and cheaper.

I wanted the RS7000, but it's just not portable to me. And the onboard sounds are supposed to be crap...

With the XL-7 and extra sounds, you can make great tracks and record them into your computer for burning.

It was the perfect solution for me, and man, I did my homework.
 
thnx man, much respect

i guess i'll save up for an XL 5, cuz I don't sample stuff, I juss come up with my own stuff

I haven't run out of ideas yet, but my friends all say that there comes a time when I'll eventually HAVE to sample, but that time isn't come yet, so I'm cool. :)
 
yo Balma--

I couldn't help notice that someone named "MBalma" just picked up an E-MU MP7 on ebay.. any relation? :)

So based on your recommendation (and DeSelby) I ordered a used XL7 from Guitar Center-- it was only $299 but I have no idea how hard it's been beaten (I don't have it yet-- it's being shipped from one of their other stores). Anyway, I look forward to digging into it.

HS
 
The MC-909 is an awesome machine. I'm sure the others are good (the prices seem good) but you will be far from sorry if you decide to get one. Just learn the tricks and soon you can navigate it like and MCSE navigates Windows (does anyone get that?) Anyway I popped 128 MB RAM (same as CPU ram) and a 256 MB SmartMedia card in it. I have had friends come over for the first time. Create a hot track, and burn it to CD's in minutes.

It was a little complicated at first but soon it is second nature, with many many thanks to the detailed display sliders and knobs. It can be improved (I don't know how personally) but at the same time Roland did some homework.

3 thumbs up
 
el liberator said:
Get the rs7000 its the best deal and its up to par with the 909 at a much cheaper price.I remember someone posted a rs7k vs 909 type thread and a lot of people were saying that sequencing isnt as good on the 909.
Click to expand...
u mean rs7k..? i think u got it the other way..
rs7k'sequencer will eat up anything..
thi si how i do.. i make 2mearues on each 10 sec n start mic matching just like live show,, and sometime i resampl the mix sections n do loop remix... i will give u some weird out come n i like it..
 
I like my 909 a lot. I spent a couple months comparing the 909, the RS7k, and the MPC. I read all their manuals before I decided.

For me, the 909 ended up being the best choice. The synthesis engine is much deeper than the 7000 or the MPC2k. Since I like to do sample warping and extremely weird manipulation, it was important to me that my samples can be fed through the complete synth engine, rather than being more of a phrase sampler (as the RS7k kinda is), or having relatively limited overall parameters (like the MPC).

Don't get me wrong: both the RS7k and the MPC are awesome machines. The sequencer on the RS is absolutely great. Very unique and the best feature of the machine, in my opinion. The MPC's build quality is excellent, and the workflow on it is super-fast and uncluttered. The RS has the "master effect" section, which is really cool for live mixing.

But the 909's internal sounds and waveforms sound much better than the RS's, in my opinion. And the sample-mangling possibilities beat the MPC. And the effects in the 909 just slaughter both others for quality, variety, and routing. Though I don't have the realtime arrangement of mute groups like the RS, I do have the 909's RPS, which allows me to put patterns on each pad. And the tempo slider, as well as the tap, push, and hold buttons makes it quite easy to jam along with a live band that doesn't use a click track.

In the end, the best tool is the one that works like you do.

-Hoax
 
wadup,
yo I use mpc to control reason thourg my laptop plus some other dope programs like acid for timestretsh, recycle for loop chopping, absynth, etc. plus I get the bangin sequencer on the MPC. But I like deselby's setup for real. Let me know how that works out. You need a good mixer and some decks too for the live ish methinks..
Personally I aint too keen on the sounds from the mo thatt/ planet roms but just imho. They are good for west coast hip hop
and techno/dance type grooves but youd need to run them through something to give em more grit like an old tape machine or something. For me Pentium4+Reason + MPC + decks/vinyl=sweet bliss
Peace!
 
As far as the MC 909 goes it is swinging like the mpc's. If you dont believe me try this.

How I swing my MC-909:

1. Make a dope beat in regular pattern mode
2. Stop the beat and make sure you are in pattern mode by simply pressing the pattern button or exit several times.
3. Press the edit function key which should bring you to pattern edit mode.
4. Hold down the shift key then press the edit quantise function key.
5. The word "Grid" should be highlited, simply turn the data wheel to shuffle which should be the next choice.
6. Arrow down and change the percentage with the data wheel to 69.
7. Press f6 to execute then go back to pattern mode.

..Once you press play you will see the 909 swing like the pro's. 69 usuall works for club like uptempo rap, but the cool part about the 909 is you can swing it live while it is playing by simply pressing while you adjust the percentage and hear the MC909 swing right before your precious little ears. The mc-909 also has a groove feature where it will swing the beat to preset templates like R&B, Regae, Techno, and whatever else. I usually like to shuffle my own swings live and save the changes. You can even pick which "parts you want to swing by muting the ones you dont want to swing.

*Cool MC-909 tip*
I would make a dope drum pattern (no synth or melodies just percussion), swing it with a 69% shuffle, compress them and add effects, thei i would resample the whole 2 or four bars and have the dopest breakbeat sample which you can then time streatch, or flip it in reverse and lay a whole different drum, then you can swing that whole thing, add your bass lines and melodies... or you could lower the pitch on th loop and chop it up and have a whole new grimy, hardcore type drum rhythm set..... Have I made my pont clear about the Roland Mc-909 or do you need more


__________________
BE TRUE TO THE GAME AND THE GAME WILL BE TRUE TO YOU!! KEEP IT PIMPIN!!
 
Hi everyone! - just wanted to say that I've only had a really great time using the 909, and that it's probably the best thing that happend for me in some years now....

Whenever I have a groove or a music thing in my head, I just hurry up home to my studio, and get it played on the 909.
Afterwards it jusat all about putting this together with some other cool stuff, and there's you're new track"!

But you'll need to buy something additional equipment, if you want to record vocals, since the sampler of the 909 doesn't have the capabilities for this...

cheers Mates.
 
It is possible to record vocals on the mc 909 but it uses a lot of memory. Once you have your track press sample/resample mode and select your source, which should be analog unless you want to use an acapella from an external cd player and record it digital. Press the function key to start with source. Press play on the 909 and record your hook in the right place.. Repeat the steps for verses and ablibs.. Basicly you are creating 8 and 16 bar samples which you then create a rhythm and drop them on your beat. Not the best way to do vocals on the 909 but it works.
 
Be sure to use "Solo Sampling" mode, so that you're only recording your vocals, not resampling the whole track + vocals.

-Hoax
 
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